The invention relates to exercising equipment and more particularly to a combination weight lift and resilient force exercise system.
Weight lift and resilient force-resistive exercising systems have become an important means for maintaining physical fitness not only among professional and amateur athletes and body builders but also by the general public. Conventional weight lift type systems consist of heavy metal disc-shaped weights which are fastened to the end of a bar or shaft. The conventional resilient force-resistive type exerciser consists of a series of springs one end of which is attached to a heavy frame or a wall and on the other end off which are attached gripping handles.
Conventional weight lift type or resilient force-resistive type exercisers present a number of problems to many of the persons interested in maintaining a physical training routine. Many such persons must constantly travel, such as professional or amateur athletes, and almost all such persons travel for extended periods at least occasionally, such as on vacations or on business trips. Conventional exercisers are difficult to move and thus usually cannot be taken on such trips. However, it is important that physical training routines be continued during such trips since failure to exercise for even a few days can significantly affect muscle tone. Thus, it is highly desirable that such physical exercise systems be portable. At the same time, however, the exercise systems must be safe to use since an injury might not only set back a training routine but may also damage muscles which a person is trying to develop.
One way to increase the portability of any exercise system is to reduce the number of parts, which can be done by using a single mode exercise system. However, different muscles of the human body require different types of forces and motions for proper development. Thus, it is desirable that even a portable exercise system be suitable for both the weight lift type and the resilient force-resistive type exercises. In addition, a variety of systems serves to make exercising more enjoyable.
Portable exercise systems which can be easily and safely stacked are important not only to travelers but also to persons who have limited room in which to exercise or to store the system. Many exercise systems have been designed which purport to solve these problems. Thus, the functional design of the exercising equipment is well developed and includes many United States patents, among the most relevant which are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,311,374 and 3,572,702.